JP2005534483A - Assembly and method for performing parallel chemistry experiments, particularly crystallization experiments - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembly and method for performing parallel chemical experiments, in particular crystallisation experiments. The assembly has a main body having a first and a second face on opposite sides thereof. Multiple bores extend through said main body between said first and second face. Tubular liners are provided having openings at opposite ends thereof, each liner removably fitting in a bore in the main body. First closure means close the openings of the liners at the first face of the main body. Second closure means close the openings of the liners at the second face of the main body. The first and second closure means are fastenable to said main body, so that an experimentation chamber is defined within each liner.

Description

  The present invention relates to an assembly for performing parallel chemical experiments, particularly crystallization experiments. The invention also relates to a system comprising an assembly and the method in which the assembly is used.

  In addition to a system for conducting parallel crystallization experiments, an assembly and its method are disclosed in WO 02/06802 (Patent Document 1). This assembly is provided with a microplate having a number of microwells having openings at the top. Well sealing is accomplished by sealing the periphery of the top of each well with an O-ring seal, which is inserted between the microplate and the cover plate.

  This assembly is not sufficiently practical when performing a large number of parallel experiments, such as high-speed mass processing experiments. In particular, this assembly is not sufficient for conducting parallel crystallization experiments.

WO02 / 06802

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved experimental assembly, particularly an assembly used for crystallization experiments.

  The present invention provides an assembly for performing parallel chemistry experiments, particularly crystallization experiments, which assembly has a body, the body having first and second faces on opposite sides, A plurality of holes extending through the body between the first and second surfaces, and a tubular liner having openings at both ends, each liner being removable in the body hole And a first closing means for closing the liner opening on the first side of the body and a first closing means for closing the liner opening on the second side of the body. And a first and second closure means are attachable to the body, thereby defining a laboratory in each liner.

  In the assembly according to the invention, it is possible to use a tubular liner that is simple to manufacture and can be easily cleaned at least one of before and after the experiment or can be easily discarded after use. The body can also effectively clean the holes, which is particularly appropriate in the field of crystallization experiments where contamination is likely to affect the experimental results.

  The present invention also relates to a system including the assembly of the present invention and a method of using the assembly.

  Assemblies or systems according to the present invention can be used for molecular solids screening such as salt screening, polymorph screening, enantiomer separation screening, particularly active pharmaceutical ingredients. ingredients) can be used effectively in solid screening.

  The invention and its preferred embodiments are described in the claims and in the following description with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a part of an experimental assembly 1 for conducting parallel chemical experiments, in particular crystallization experiments.

  The assembly 1 has a main body 2, and the main body 2 has a first surface 3 and a second surface 4 on opposite sides of the first surface 3 and the second surface 4. A number of holes 5 extending through the body 2 are provided therebetween.

  In FIG. 1, only one hole 5 is visible. The actual number of holes varies depending on the specification. The assembly 1 preferably has at least four holes.

  Each hole 5 is provided with a removable tubular liner 6. Each liner 6 has openings 7 and 8 at both ends thereof. Each liner 6 is removably attached to a corresponding hole 5 in the body 2.

  The assembly 1 further comprises a first closing member 10 for closing the opening 7 of the liner 6 on the first surface 3 of the body 2. The assembly also has a second closing member 15 for closing the opening 8 of the liner 6 on the second surface 4 of the body 2.

  The laboratory 20 is defined within each liner 5 by the first and second closure members 10, 15 being secured to the body 2 using suitable fastening means such as bolts 23. The The closing of the end will be described below.

  In the embodiment shown here, the first closing means 10 has a plurality of flexible first sealing members 11 and a first extending over all the holes 5 depending on the number of holes 5. The first seal member 11 is inserted between the end of the tubular liner 6 and the first cover plate 12.

  The second sealing means 15 has a plurality of flexible second seal members 16 and a second cover plate 17 in the embodiment shown here, and the second seal member 16 It is inserted between the end of the tubular liner 6 and the second cover plate 17.

  The first and second seal members 11 and 16 are specifically illustrated here as seal discs or disc-shaped partition walls, which can be pierced with a hollow needle.

  The first and second cover plates 11, 17 are provided with holes 13, 18 extending along the holes 5 of the main body 2, particularly the holes of the liner 6. Since the first and second seal members 11 and 16 can be pierced, for example, a needle can be inserted into each laboratory 20 for the purpose described below.

  The tubular liner 6 is provided with a support projection facing outward in the form of a circumferential support flange 9 at its end. Similar to the seal member 11, the first surface 3 of the main body 2 is provided with an annular recess that receives the support flange 9.

  Although not shown, at least one of the first and second seal members 11 and 16 has a filter for filtering the contents when the contents in the laboratory are removed. In an actual embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, at least one of the first and second seal members crosses an annular seal 20, such as an O-ring, and a central opening in the seal 20. An extending mesh 21 or sheet-like filter 21 is provided.

  The main body 2 is preferably a solid block such as stainless steel, true casting or superalloy.

  The main body 2 is preferably made of a heat conductive material such as metal, and the liner 6 is substantially in contact with the main body on the entire outer surface, so that optimum heat transfer can be obtained.

  The volume of the laboratory 20 is preferably 1 ml (milliliter) at most.

  FIG. 3 shows a part of a filtration device 30 used, for example, with the inventive experimental assembly according to FIG.

  The filtration device 30 includes a channel 31 provided with an inlet 32 corresponding to the hole 5 provided in the main body 2 of the experimental assembly 1, and a filter 33 provided in each channel 31.

  The filtration device 30 and the assembly 1 are preferably used as follows.

When in the horizontal position, the top cover plate of the experimental assembly 1 is removed and the associated sealing member is removed, and then the filtration device 30 is placed on the upper surface of the body 2 and then the system is inverted. Then, the contents of the laboratory 20 enter the channel 31 of the filtration device 30 and are filtered by the filter 33.

  The channel 32 of the filtration device 30 has an outlet 34. If the system has a collection device 40, for example as shown in FIG. 4, and the collection device has a collection chamber 41 with an inlet corresponding to the outlet of the filtration device 30, then the laboratory The filtered contents can enter the collection chamber 41.

  The assembly 1 can use a pressing device having a number of pressing members corresponding to the liners of the experimental assembly, which pressing members are pushed into the holes 5 of the body 2 and pushed out of the holes 5 and so on. The liner 6 is pressed.

  As described above, the assembly 1 is preferably used in combination with, for example, a heating means. By heating, the liquid content in the laboratory 20 can be evaporated, or the solid can be liquidized. Thus, it is possible to produce crystals when cooled.

  The heating means may be provided inside at least one of the main body 2 and the cover plates 12 and 18, or may be provided so as to contact at least one of the main body 2 and the cover plates 12 and 18.

  If it is desired that a portion of the contents of laboratory 20 evaporate, the system preferably further includes a vapor exhaust assembly 50 as shown in FIG.

  The assembly 50 includes a large number of hollow needle members 51, which are provided so as to penetrate the seal members 11 and 16, respectively, so that steam is discharged through the hollow needle 51.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the needle 51 is preferably provided so as to face upward and to penetrate the seal member 16 that seals the bottom surface of the experimental assembly 50 that is horizontally disposed. As a result, the tip of the tubular needle comes out above the liquid level in the laboratory 20, and steam can be extracted through the needle 51.

  It will be apparent that the assembly 50 can also be used to partially drain the liquid contents from the laboratory.

  In other embodiments, a supply assembly for supplying material to the laboratory 20 is provided, the supply assembly having at least one hollow needle member that passes through the seal member. Therefore, it is possible to inject into the laboratory 20 from above or from below.

  In the field of crystallization experiments, it is also possible, for example, to inject a solvent into the laboratory with such a supply assembly.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an experimental assembly according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of at least one of the first and second seal members of the assembly of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a portion of a filtration device used with the experimental assembly of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows the collecting device. FIG. 5 shows a steam exhaust assembly.

Claims (25)

An assembly (1) for conducting parallel chemical experiments, in particular crystallization experiments,
The assembly is:
A body (2) having a first surface (3) and a second surface (4) on opposite sides and extending through the body between the first and second surfaces; A number of holes (5)
A tubular liner (6) having openings (7, 8) at both ends, each liner being removably mounted in a hole in the body;
A first closing means (10) for closing the liner opening on the first side of the body;
Second closing means (15) for closing the liner opening on the second side of the body;
An assembly characterized in that the first and second closure means (15, 16) are attachable to the body so that a laboratory (20) is defined in each liner (6).   The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first closure means comprises one or more flexible first seal members and a first cover plate, said first seal members being tubular. An assembly which is inserted between an end of a liner and a first cover plate.   3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second closure means comprises one or more flexible second seal members and a second cover plate, the second seal member being tubular. The assembly is inserted between the end of the liner and the second cover plate.   2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each tubular liner is provided with at least one outward-facing support protrusion, and each hole in the body is provided with a recess for receiving the corresponding support protrusion. An assembly characterized by.   5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the outwardly extending support protrusion is a circumferential support flange provided at one end of the tubular liner, and the holes in the body each form an annular recess for receiving the support flange. An assembly characterized by comprising:   3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein said first closing means comprises a number of first sealing members, each first sealing member engaging an end face of the liner.   7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first surface of the main body and the first cover plate is provided with a recess at the end of the liner for receiving the first seal member. A featured assembly.   4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second closing means comprises a number of second sealing members, each second sealing member engaging an end face of the liner.   9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the second surface of the main body and the second cover plate is provided with a recess at the position of the end of the liner for receiving the second seal member. A featured assembly.   4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second cover plates is provided with a hole extending along the hole of the main body, and at least one of the first and second seal members. Can be pierced, for example, a needle can be inserted into each laboratory.   9. An assembly according to claim 6 or 8, wherein at least one of the first and second seal members is a seal disk.   4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second sealing members has a filter for filtering the contents when the contents in the laboratory are removed. A featured assembly.   13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second seal members includes an annular seal and a filter extending across a central opening of the seal. A system for conducting parallel chemical experiments, particularly crystallization experiments,
The system is:
An experimental assembly with a system for conducting parallel chemical experiments according to any of claims 1 to 13,
A filtration device having a channel with an inlet corresponding to a hole provided in the body of the experimental assembly, so that when in a horizontal position the top cover plate of the experimental assembly and its associated After removing the sealing member, the system is placed on the upper surface of the main body, and then the system is inverted, and the contents of the laboratory enter the channel of the filtration device and are filtered. .   15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the channel of the filtration device has an outlet, the system further comprising a collection device provided with a collection chamber with an inlet corresponding to the outlet of the filtration device, A system characterized in that the filtered contents can enter the collection chamber. A system for conducting parallel chemical experiments, particularly crystallization experiments,
The system is:
An experimental assembly according to any of claims 1 to 13;
A system having a pressing device, the pressing device having a number of pressing members corresponding to the liner of the experimental assembly, and pressing the liner to at least one of the inside and the outside of the main body. A system for conducting parallel chemical experiments, particularly crystallization experiments,
The system is:
An experimental assembly according to any of claims 1 to 13;
A system having a heating device for heating the contents of a laboratory, wherein the heating device evaporates a solvent or changes a solid into a solution, and achieves crystallization by a subsequent cooling operation.   18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the body is a solid made of a thermally conductive material, preferably a metal, and the heating device is provided inside at least one of the body, cover plate, or the body or cover plate. A system characterized by being provided so as to come into contact with   The system according to claim 18, wherein the system further comprises a steam exhaust assembly, the assembly comprising a number of hollow needle members, each hollow needle member being provided to penetrate the seal member, Steam is discharged through the hollow needle.   20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the needle is provided so as to face upwards and pass through a seal member 16 that seals the bottom surface of the horizontally arranged experimental assembly.   11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a supply assembly for supplying material to the laboratory, the supply assembly comprising at least one hollow needle member provided to penetrate the seal member. A system characterized by having.   24. The system according to claim 21, wherein the supply assembly is capable of injecting antisolvent into the laboratory.   A method for performing parallel chemistry experiments, in particular crystallization experiments, characterized in that the assembly or system according to any of claims 1 to 22 is used.   15. A method for performing parallel chemistry experiments, in particular crystallization experiments, comprising using the system according to claim 14, in particular an assembly or system from a crystallization experiment, to achieve crystallization in a laboratory. After removing the sealing member associated with the top cover plate of the experimental assembly, the filtration device is placed on the top surface of the body, and then the system is inverted so that the laboratory contents are filtered. And entering said channel and filtering. 25. Use of an assembly or system according to any one of claims 1 to 24, used for molecular solids screening such as salt screening, crystal polymorphism screening, enantiomeric separation screening, in particular solid screening of active pharmaceutical ingredients. .

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